Zayn Malik

Of English and Pakistani heritage, Zayn Malik auditioned for "The X Factor" (ITV, 2004- ) as a solo act but was instead grouped with fellow contestants Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson to form the boy band One Direction. After coming in third on the reality show, they hit No. 1 with their debut single "What Makes You Beautiful," scored the hit follow-up "Gotta Be You," and released their blockbuster debut album, 2011's Up All Night.

Showered with European music awards, fan adulation and commercial success, One Direction then moved to conquer America with appearances on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ) and "iCarly" (Nickelodeon, 2007- ) coincided with the chart-topping release of their debut album stateside. Representing a new era of boy bands that seemed - at least on the surface - to be less packaged and more approachable, One Direction, as well as Zayn Malik, seemed poised to enjoy considerable success on the global stage.

Born Jan. 13, 1993 in Bradford, England, U.K., Zain Jawadd "Zayn" Malik was the son of an English mother and a Pakistani father. Growing up, he found that his mixed heritage set him apart from classmates, and ended up attending multiple schools before finding his social footing. A lifelong fan of R&B and rap music, he played with his appearance accordingly and developed a mystique that served him well. Determined to make it as a singer, he auditioned as a solo act for "The X Factor" (ITV, 2004- ) in 2010, but was sent to the show's musical boot camp where, with the personal encouragement of Simon Cowell, he memorably overcame his fear of performing with a dance routine.

Despite this, Malik was deemed not ready to compete as a solo act. Happily, this opened other professional doors for Malik, who was teamed with fellow contestants Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson to form One Direction. As a boy band, they placed third on "The X Factor" and ascended to international superstardom with the 2011 release of their debut single, "What Makes You Beautiful."

Hitting number one on the U.K. singles chart and breaking sales records, the song paved the way for a follow-up hit, "Gotta Be You," and their global smash debut album, Up All Night. Continuing their meteoric rise, the band notched a sold-out U.K. tour and won three 4Music Awards (Best Group, Breakthrough and Video), a Brit Award (Best British Single for "What Makes You Beautiful") and two U.K. Kids' Choice Awards (Favorite U.K. Newcomer and Favorite Band).

Their European success led to their American breakthrough, with their album hitting No. 1 and One Direction replicating their European success in the States with a flood of endorsements, publicity appearances and television performances. They were featured as the musical guest (and appeared in a skit) on the Sofia Vergara-hosted episode of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), booked a guest spot on "iCarly" (Nickelodeon, 2007- ), and announced plans for a 2012 world tour.

Unlike the previous wave of boy bands, One Direction eschewed matching clothing and tightly choreographed dancing, radiating instead a seemingly less manufactured, less polished image. Although much of One Direction's appeal came from their unified front of playful energy, each member stood out in his own way. Malik, who sparked some controversy when he dated fellow "X Factor" contestant and six-years-older Rebecca Ferguson, appealed to fans due to his brooding demeanor and multiple tattoos.

By Jonathan Riggs